Furniture components



April 17, 1962 K. w. BROOKS FURNITURE COMPONENTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 16, 1960 Egg;

April 1962 K. w. BROOKS I 3,030,162

FURNITURE COMPONENTS Filed June 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 j 25 $5?MMM/ ML? 1 /7 2/ K WW INVENTOR. Ken/19H; W. Brooks MW April 17, 1962 K.w. BROOKS 3,030,162

FURNITURE COMPONENTS Filed June 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet s 2- INVENTOR.

Ken/792% M Brooks /2 7 BY MM Aim April 17, 1962 K- W. BROOKS FURNITURECOMPONENTS Filed June 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,636,162 FURNHTURE CUMPGNENTS Kenneth W. Brooks,W. 70 7 th St, Spokane, Wash. Filed June i6, 196%, er. No. 36,6ti9 3'Claims. (til. 312-411) This invention relates to novel structuralcomponents for furniture.

The invention resides in a basic furniture unit which can be used as abuilding block to form a multitude of various'furniture arrangements forstorage purposes. This unit is combined with interrelating accessoriesincluding novel floor supports which lock into apertures formed in theunit.

It is anobject of the invention to provide a basic furniture unit whichcan be used in a plurality of forms to combine with similar unitsresulting in a completed storage unit adaptable to any purpose. Thecompleted article according to the invention has modern furniturequalities such as simplicity and a low silhouette, and iseasilyconstructetl without special -skills.

ltis another object of this invention to provide novel floor'supports ofmodern design which look into apertures in the furniture units with'onlytheir spring tension to hold them securely in place. These supportsare'easily installed or removed by simply grasping them and insertingthem into the apertures.

These and furtherobjects will be evident from a study of thefollowing-description and the accompanying drawings, which show thebasic components and several of support in place on the'bottom of 'abasic unit;

FIGURE '4 is similar to FIGURE 3, showing an end view ofthe floorsupport;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through theside ot-aunit'showing a shelf support in place;

FIGURE 6 is afragrnentary'front View of a side element in a unit showinga shelf support;

FIGUR'E Tie a front'view of a fully completed componentunit withone'sliding panel partly opened, showingit from a'perspective angle;

FIGURE 8 is a front view of a multiple unit utilizing "six componentunits;

FIGURE 9 is a front perspective view of a multiple iunit fo'rmed fromtwo component units arranged sideby-side; and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of "a storage *w'all composed of stackedunits.

T he basic unit'used in the practice of this invention is 'illustratedin FlGURESl and 2. It consists of a rec- "tangular plywood back element16 to which is secured a pairofre'ctangular elements it andlZ-Whichextend across the back element lit and which are respectively locatedadjacent to opposite terminal edges of the back element it) to formflush surfaces. Elements Hand '12 are also preferably cut from plywoodstock. Each element ll and i2 is formed with a pair of longitudinalinwardly facing groovesl3, l dadjacent to the edge thereof Bfifihlfi? Fatented Apr. 1'31, 1962 which is remote from the back element '10. Theunit is completed by a second pair of rectangular elements 15, re whichare of a width equal to that of elements 11 and 12 and of a length equalto the open distance between the elements 11 and 12 mounted on the backelement 10. The elements ill and 12 are joined to elements 15 and 16,which in turn are mounted adjacent opposite terminal edges of backelement 10 to form an enclosed rectangular configuration.

The unit may be set on any base or may be used with no base attachedthereto. A preferable form of support i9 is shown in FIGURES 3 and'4.This support is bent from a single still metal rod and consists of acentral portion 1'7 and two end rectangular configurations 18 and 2h.The configurations l8 and 20 are mirror images of 'each other and thesame numerals shall be applied to both. They consist of a top horizontalportion 21 bent from'central portion 17, a first vertical portion 22ben't erpendicularly downward from portion 21, a bottom horizontalportion 23 bent from portion 22 back toward portion 17, and a secondvertical portion 24 bent upwardly from portion 23 and having a straightterminal end portion 25. This terminal end portion 25 is biased againstthe inner surface of portion 21 bent from portion 17. The terminal endportions 25 are therefore free to be flexed inwardly toward one another,but will tend to separate due to the internal tension of the rod. It isthis tension which is used to hold the support in place on the unit, ascan beseen 'in FIGURE 4. The second vertical portion 24 is parallel tothe first vertical portion 22, the thickness of the rod being 'offset'bythe bend between portions 17 and 21. This provides a certain degree ofbinding when the terminal end portions 25 are inserted ina'vertical'hole in a tight fit.

The specific form of the supports 19 is quite important to the overallappearance "of articles supported thereon. It is important to note thatthe two'rec'tangular configurations l8 and it} are in parallel planes.Also, all the vertical portions 22, 24 are perpendicular to the bottomhorizontal portions 23 and are in parallel alignment with one another.The only bend which is not perpendicular and parallel to itscomplementary portion is the bend between the central .portion 17 andthe top horizontal portion 21. This is immaterial to the appearance ofthe support i since it is adjacent to the lower surface of thesupported'cabinet and would be hidden from view.

in order to utilize these supports,-the bottom'rectangular member 12 isprovided with two apertures cut partially through the element '12 andspaced apart by a distance slightly less than the normal distancebetween the terminal endfportions-ZS. One such aperture is shown insection in FIGURE 4 and is designated as 26. The apertures are alsospaced from the adjacent ends or members 12 a distance one-half thedistance between apertures on a single element 12. In this manner, thefloor supports can overlap adiacent units which are rigidly joined toone another. The floor supports are easily insertable'in the aperturesby flexing the vertical portions 24toward each other and pushing theterminal end portions 25 into the apertures until the central portion 17and top horizontal portions 21 rest against the bottom surface of theelement 12. When the support is released, theinternal tension in thesupport will urge portions 24 outwardly to securely grip the element 12and provide a substantial support for the unit. The supports act in thesame manner when inserted in apertures cut into the bottom surfaces ofrigidly joined double units to overlap 'the'two units.

In order to provide shelves within the unit, a plurality of shelfsupports 27 are utilized in vertical rows. The supports 27 are insertedin apertures 28 cut partially through elements 15, 16 and arranged inaligned double rows along the inner surfaces thereof. The support 27consists of a right angle bracket 30 having a peg 31 extending outwardlyfrom one leg of the bracket 30. The peg 31 is adapted to fit into theaperture 28. A shelf 32 is cut to a length equal to the distance betweenthe inner surfaces of brackets 30 and serves to hold the pegs 31 inplace by restricting inward movement of the bracket 30. This provides asimple, versatile shelf structure which is capable of instantadjustment.

The shelves 32 are cut to a depth less than that of elements 11, 12, 15,and 16 so as to provide clearance for grooves 13, 14. Mountedindividually in grooves 13, 14 are two rectangular panels 33, 34 whichextend slightly more than half the distance between elements 15 and 16.The panels 33, 34 are preferably made of smooth hardboard which iseasily flexed for insertion into grooves 13, 14, but may be formed ofany suitable material, such as a clear plastic material, if desired.Each panel 33, 34 is provided with a round hole 35 which is provided asa hand hold to facilitate sliding of the panel.

Various installations utilizing the above described components areillustrated in FIGURES 7-10. In FIGURE 7, a single complete unit isshown, equipped with shelves 32, panels 33, 34 and floor supports 19.FIGURE 8 shows a multiple unit wherein three lower units 36, 37 and 38are rigidly joined to one another by bolts or any suitable means. Eachunit 36--38 is provided with shelves 32, panels 33, 34 and overlappingfloor supports 19. Three upper units 40, 41 and 42 are shown placedabove units 36, 37, and 38 respectively and are bolted to adjacentelements of the adjoining side and bottom units. The upper units 4042are shown with shelves 32 in place. They may also be provided withsliding door panels if desired.

FIGURE 9 shows a typical bookcase installation using two units 43, 44joined side-by-side. Unit 43 has shelves 32 and panels 33, 34 while unit44 has only shelves 32 spaced to suit the books. Floor supports 19overlap the two units to provide a stable leg structure.

A storage wall consisting of twenty units is shown in FIGURE 10. It isdesigned for floor to ceiling installation and has a bottom row of units45 with shelves 32 and panels 33, 34, two central rows of units 46, 47having staggered shelves 32, and a top row of storage units 48 havingboth shelves 32 and panels 33, 34.

These arrangements are typical of the multitude of modern installationspossible using the basic units described herein. The units may bestacked vertically, horizontally or back-to-back in any desiredconfiguration and with any combination of accessory units. The possiblecombinations are limited only by the ingenuity of the user.

The basic simplicity of the units readily lends itself to packaging inkit form, which provides savings in manufacture, storage and retailing.The basic unit can be assembled in minutes with only a hammer, nails andpaint brush required.

Obviously, the structural design of these units can be altered withoutoverreaching the limits of invention described herein. Therefore thefollowing claims are presented as the only intended definitions of theextent of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A floor support for furniture comprising a unitary article bent froma stiff length of rod having a rectangular supporting configurationformed at each of its longitudinal ends, each configuration being amirror image of the other, each configuration comprising a straightupper hori zontal portion bent beyond the perpendicular from a commonhorizontal portion of the rod, the end of said upper horizontal portionremote from said common horizontal portion being longitudinally offsetfrom the junction of said upper horizontal portion and said commonhorizontal portion a distance equal to the thickness of the rod, a firstvertical leg bent perpendicularly downward from the remote end of saidupper horizontal portion, a lower horizontal portion bentperpendicularly from the lower end of said first vertical leg in thedirection of said common horizontal portion and perpendicular thereto,said lower horizontal portion lying in a plane parallel to that of saidupper horizontal portion and said common horizontal portion, a secondvertical leg bent perpendicularly upward from said bottom horizontalportion and terminating in a straight section, the length of said secondleg being greater than the length of said first leg, the straightterminal section of said second leg being biased to rest against theinner surface of said upper horizontal portion.

2. In a furniture installation, the combination with a plane bottomsurface having formed therein a pair of spaced apertures of a floorsupport comprising a unitary article bent from a stiff length of rodhaving a rectangular supporting configuration formed at each of itslongitudinal ends, each configuration being a mirror image of the other,each configuration comprising a straight upper horizontal portion bentbeyond the perpendicular from a common horizontal portion of the rod,the end of said upper horizontal portion remote from said commonhorizontal portion being longitudinally offset from the junction of saidupper horizontal portion and said common horizontal portion a distanceequal to the thickness of the rod, a first vertical leg bentperpendicularly downward from the remote end of said upper horizontalportion, a lower horizontal portion bent perpendicularly from the lowerend of said first vertical leg in the direction of said commonhorizontal portion and perpendicular thereto, said lower horizontalportion lying in a plane parallel to that of said upper horizontalportion and said common horizontal portion, a second vertical leg bentperpendicularly upward from said bottom horizontal portion andterminating in a straight section, the length of said second leg beinggreater than the length of said first leg, the straight terminal sectionof said second leg being biased to rest against the inner surface ofsaid upper horizontal portion, said straight terminal sections of thetwo rectangular configurations being normally spaced apart a distancegreater than the distance between the spaced apertures formed on theplane bottom surface and being adapted to be flexed toward each otherduring installation so as to be insertable into said apertures, theprojection of said terminal portions beyond said common horizontalportion being less than the depth of said apertures whereby said planebottom surface rests on the common and upper horizontal portions of saidrod when said straight terminal sections are inserted in the apertures.

3. In a furniture installation, the combination with a pair of furnitureunits having adjacent sides bolted to one another, the bottom surfacesof said units each being provided with an aperture, of a floor supportcomprising a unitary article bent from a stiff length of rod having arectangular supporting configuration formed at each of its longitudinalends, each configuration being a mirror image of the other, eachconfiguration comprising a straight upper horizontal portion bent beyondthe perpendicular from a common horizontal portion of the rod, the endof said upper horizontal portion remote from said common horizontalportion being longitudinally offset from the junction of said upperhorizontal portion and said common horizontal portion a distance equalto the thickness of the rod, a first vertical leg bent perpendicularlydownward from the remote end of said upper horizontal portion, a lowerhorizontal portion bent perpendicularly from the lower end of said firstvertical leg in the direction of said common horizontal portion andperpendicular thereto, said lower horizontal portion lying in a planeparallel to that of said upper horizontal portion and said commonhorizontal portion, a second vertical leg bent perpendicularly upwardfrom said bottom horizontal portion and terminating in a straightsection, the length of said second leg being greater than the length ofsaid first leg, the straight terminal section of said second leg beingbiased to rest against the inner surface of said upper horizontalportion, said straight terminal sections of the two rectangularconfigurations being normally spaced apart a distance greater than thedistance between the apertures formed on the bottom surfaces of saidunits and being adapted to be flexed toward each other duringinstallation so as to be insertable into said apertures, the projectionof said terminal portions beyond said common horizontal portion beingless than the depth of said apertures whereby said bottom surfaces reston the common and upper horizontal portions of said rod when saidstraight terminal sections are inserted in the apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS560,884 Anderson May 26, 1896 835,582 Tobey Nov. 13, 1906 1,714,909lllmer May 28, 1926 2,628,877 Woo Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 536,909Italy Dec. 12, 1955 787,825 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1957 871,358 GermanyFeb. 12, 1953

